Office desk



Nov. 4, 1930. E E WHEELER 1,780,287

v OFFICE DESK Filed May 5. 1926 Patented Nov. 4, 1930 PATENT YOFFICE:

Y CLEM E. WHEELER, E OAK PARK, ILLINOIS OFFICE DESK Application med May5,

The purpose of this invention is to provide a desk for oiiice use anddesigned for clerical and routine work which shall effect maximumeconomy ot' `loor area in an office in which a considerable number ofsuch desks are rewhich he has completed his work are to be passed on toother desks for additional work with or upon them or for ling orcompiling.

In such oiiices containing, in many instances, scores or even hundredsof desks which are most conveniently arranged in rows and with aislesbetween them, each square toot ol Hoor area which can be savedby anyexpedient for reducing the horizontal dimensions of the desk effects asaving ot rent which in many such offices devoted to nation-widebusiness such as insurance, investments and the like, will amount tothousands of dollars annually. Another purpose of the invention is toenable the worker to have the entire working area of the work table ofhis desk available for the particular papers at any moment requiring`his attention to the exclusion ot the preceding papers with which he hastinished, and the succeeding papers awaiting his next attention, thusavoiding liability of confusion by commingling of papers belonging todiferent liles. An additional ,purpose or advantage of the constructionhereinafter described consists in reducr ing to the minimum the numberofpapers at any time exposed upon the surfaces of the desks in use andthereby liable torbe swept into confusion or destroyed by flame in caseof lire. v

These purposes and the advantages vare secured by constructing the deskfor economiaing the area of the working table thereof by the provisionat the head ot' the work table of a receptacle in which the papers torequire the attention of the worker may be deposited substantially orapproximately in edgewise upright position, and from which they may betaken one by-one as required'by the work to be done on or with them; andproviding also a receptacle below the work- 1926. Serial N'o. 106,812.

ing table to which the papers may be passed one by one as the work onthem is completed, the entrance to said receptacle being also at thehead of the working area of the work table and adapted to occupy minimumdesk area by being arranged for insertion of the papers therethroughledgewise into the receptacle below; so that substantially the entirework area ofthe work table available to accommodate the papers at anymoment requiring the workers attention.

A second feature contributing to the same purposes and advantagesconsists in not only utilizing the space below the working area of thework table for containing the papers which have passed the workers hand,and retaining them until they are required and taken out for the nextwork upon or with them, but also providing that they may be thus takenout without disturbing or'requiring the attention of the worker who haspassed them, this supplementary purpose being accomplished by providingaccess to the' receptacle otherwise than at the surface of the worktable from which they were passed into the receptacle and from some sideof the desk other than the .front side at which the worker is seated.

The invention, therefore, consists in the features and elements aboveindicated and others herein shown and described and their combinationsas indicated in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the desk embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation.

Figure l is a detail section showing an expansible construction for afile pocket.

Figure 5 is adetail front eleva-tion of a locking bolt for the pocketFigure 6 is a vertical detail section taken as indicated at line, Gf, onFigure 3.

As shown in Figure 1 the desk chosenfor purposes of illustration is ofthe sin le pedestal type having a substantially at work table, l, withvertical walls'on three sides extending downwardly from the work tableand with drawers, 2 and 3, arranged adjacent one of these VerticalWalls, 4, leaving a clear space between the drawers, 2 and 3, and theopposite corner leg, 5, as knee space for the worker, a shallow drawer,6, being sometimes included above this knee space. In desks et this typethe drawers, 2 and 8 seldom extend as far as the rear vertical wall ofthe desk, but for my purpose I; make them somewhat shorter than usualand insert back of these drawers a vertical partition indicated indotted lines at 7 on Figure 1. This partition may extend from onesidet`o"the other of the desk if desired, and the -space under he rearportion of the work tablefl, may be sub-divided by one or moreadditional line, 8, on Figure 1, and by lines, 8 and 9, on Figure 3. Abottom wall, 10, is inserted under these spaces and in the work table ofthe deskl form slots, 11, opening into the respecive compartments at therear portion ot' the' desk. As the desk worker disposes of papers whichare to be picked up by a. messenger or le clerk, he will insert them inone or the other of the slots, 1 1, and they will drop into thecompartments below these slots. lVhen the messenger arrives he will openone of the doors, 12 and 13, and remove the contents of the compartment;This avoids the use of unsightly file trays onthe' desk and leaves theupper surface free for other purposes;

In Figure 1 at the left hand side of the desk I have shown an opening,14;, in the work table, 1, somewhat larger than the slots, 11, and inFigure 2 I have indicated a curved bottom, 15,for the space below theopening, 14. This space is thus adapted to serve as a temporary tray orreceptacle for papers which the worker expects to refer to later, theopening, 14, being large enough so that h'e' he can readily insert hishand to take out the papers at will. However, a door, 16, may giveaccess to this compartment at the rear of the desk so that the papersmay be removed or filing if it is desired to make such use of thiscompartment. Vith the bottom wall, 15, in place, there remains aconsiderable space at 17 which may be 'utiliZed simply as a storagecompartment in any convenient manner. i

For the reception of papers which are for the workers attention I mounton the work table, 1, a box or cabinet, 18, secured in place by hingesat 19 so that when desired it may be folded down onto the work table, 1,as shown inFigure 2. Vhen in upright position the cabinet, 18, isopentoward the worker, and hinged front walls, 20, may be swung forwardly toinclined positions as shown in Figure 1, forming upwardly open pocketsfor the reception of papers or other articles. These oblique frontwalls, '20, are connected to the side walls and to the partition, 21',of the cabinet, 18.by fan-like structures, each Consisting-"ofAsieveital vtriangular leaves at 22.

All these leaves are attached to the cabinet, 18, by a common pivot, 28,and are connected to each other by headed pins or rivets, '2st, engagingarcuate slots, 25, which permit the leaves to be slidably swung uponeach other to form the expanded side walls shown in Figure 1 for thepockets. Then the worker wishes to leave the desk or is through wort:for the day, these pockets may be compressed by swinging the 't'rontwalls, 20, toward and into the cabinet, 18',- and securing them in sucha position by ordinary sliding bolts, 26, suoliA as that indicated inFigure 5. The cabinet, 18, may then be swung downwardly verticalpartitions, as indicated at the dotted about its hinges, 19', intohorizontal position on the work table, 1, ol the desk in which positionit serves as a closure- 'tor the slots, 11, and the opening, 14. Forsteadyingthe cabinet, 18, in its upright position I provide diagonalbrace arms, 27which pass through slots, 28, in the work table, 1, andwhose hooked ends at 29, en-gage suitable pins, 30, in the work table,1,1501" holding them in bracing position. `These arms are readilyreleased when the cabinet, 1S, is to be closed down and they will thenassume the vertically depending position indicated at 31 in Figure 2.

It may be understood that the slots, 11, andthe opening,14, are placedback from the -fron-t edge of the desk beyond a point ordinarilyutilized by the worker for papers or material upon which he is directlyengia-ged, so that the location of these slots does not actually reducethe available workingl space, and if the papers should overlap the slotsthere is very little danger of their becoming caught or lost in them.`It desired, the desk may be fitted with flush-top inlwells at 32 locatedback of th'e slot,` 11, and forwardly of the cabinet, 18. The cabinet,18, itselt' is placed on a portion of the 'desk top which is seldom usedfor anything, but by reason of the fact that it accommodates papers onedge in its pockets, this cabinet will take care of a large volume ofmaterial. Obviously the papers which accun'iulatc in the compartmentsbelow the slots, 11, might easily occupy the entire top of the desk ilstored in trays in the usual manner. It is evident, therefore, that theuse of this type oi desk will result in marked economies in ioor space,while at the same time providing ttor neat and orderly distribution ofmaterial which is at all times readily acc-cssible, and protected lfromlire risks.

It will be understood of course, that the particular arrangement of`compartments shown is only Aillustrative and may be varied through widelin'iit-S within the scope of this invention.

l Claim 1,. An office desk comprising a substantially flat work top vandfili-ng compartments,- certain of sai-d compartments being locatedwithin ,the desk beneath the top thereof, a

receptacle hingedly connected to the desk and containing certain otherof said filing compartments, the slot in the desk top communicating withthe interior compartment and arranged in co-operative relation to thecompartments in said receptacle, a front member hinged at the lower edgeand adapted to be limitedly tilted forwardly to present an open entranceinto the receptacle, end members carried by the front member of thereceptacle for inter-lapping the fixed ends of the receptacle andaccommodating the opening and closing movement of said front member,said end members comprising a plurality of respectively inter-lappingsectors totaling when extended, a width greater than the fore-and-aftdepth of the receptacle, and being individually in width less than saidfore-and-aft depth.

2. An oiiice desk having a top affording a relatively large unobstructedwork area, a tiling receptacle hingedly secured to the desk top andincluding a movable front wall, extensible connectors extending betweenthe front wall and the rece )tacle andq limitino` D the movement of theformer with respect to the latter, the receptacle being movable to anupstanding open position for tiling and to a closed, down foldedposition on the desk top when not in use, the front wall being retainedby the extensible connectors with its upper end in a forwardlyprotruding position when the receptacleis in upstanding position wherebyto expose the upper end of the contents of the receptacle beyond thecontines thereof.

3. An office desk having a substantially flat top providing a work areaextending rearwardly from the forward edge of the desk, a compartment inthe desk beneath the top, a filing slot in the work top affordingcommunication to said compartn'ient, and a iile receptacle pivotallysecured to the desk top foldable down onto the top over the slot to fcut olf communication to the compartment,

said receptacle beingl dimensioned relative to the. desk top to leave asubstantial part of the work top between the receptacle and the forwardedge of the desk unobstructed when the receptacle is in its foldedposition.

d. An office desk having a substantially flat top providing a work areaextending rearwardly from the forward edge thereof, a compartment in thedesk beneath the top, a tiling slot in the work top affording com-vmunication to said compartment, and a. tiling receptacle hingedlysecured to the desk top foldable down onto the. top over the slot to cutoff communication to the compartment, and means associated with thereceptacle for retaining the contents thereof against displacement whenthe receptacle is so folded, the receptacle being dimensioned relativeto the desktop to leave a substantial part of the work area betweenthereceptacle and the forward edge of the desk unobstructed when in itsfolded position. y

5. A desk comprising a substantially fla unobstructed work top, and aplurality of filing compartments, certain of said filing compartmentsbeing located within the desk beneath the top, a forwardly openingreceptacle hingedly connected to the desk top at a point beyond the workarea of the top and provided with certain other filing compartments, thedesk top being provided with tiling slots communicating with theinterior compartments and opening through the desk top in cooperativerelation with the filing compartments of the receptacle, said receptacleadapted to be folded down upon the work top over the slots thereinwhereby to effectively close all compartments of the desk, thereceptacle being dimensioned with respect to the desk top to leave asubstantial part of the work top unobstructed when folded down thereon.

6. A desk comprising a substantially fiat unobstructed work top, and aplurality of filing compartments, certain of said filing compartmentsbeing located within the desk beneath the top, a forwardly openingreceptacle hingedly connected to the desk top at a point beyond the workarea of the top and provided with certain other filing compartments,thedesk top being provided with filing slots communicating with theinterior compartments and opening through the desk top in cooperativerelation with the filing compartments of the receptacle, said receptacleadapted to be folded down upon the work top over the slots thereinwhereby to effectively close all compartments of the desk, and meansassociated with the receptacle for automatically exposing tlie contentsthereof beyond the confines of the receptacle when the same is openedand for automatically retaining the contents of the receptacle againstdisplacement when said receptacle is folded down onto the desk top, thereceptacle being dimensioned with respect to the desktop to leave asubstantial part of the work top unobstructed when folded down thereon.

7 An olice desk having a top affording a relatively large unobstructedwork area, a filing receptacle secured to the desk top between the workarea Vthereof and the rear edge of the desk, a movable front wallcarried by the receptacle and swingable outwardly at the top for thepurpose of filing papers in an edgewise upright position in thereceptacle, a filing compartment within the desk and beneath the topthereof, said desk top being provided with a slot communicating with theinner tiling compartment and cooperatively positioned with respectrtothe filing receptacle mounted on the desk top so that both the slot andthe filing receptacle are within reach of an operator seated at thefront of the desk, said filing receptacle being ElOO mounted Vto folddown onto the desk top to cover said tiling slot, the movable front Wallof the receptacle being mounted to swing Within the receptacle toprevent displacement of the contents thereof When the receptacle isfolded down onto the desk top, the receptacle being` dimensioned Withrespect to the desk top to leave al substantial part of the work areathereof unobstructed when so folded.

8. An office desk having a top affording a relatively large unobstructedWork area, a filing receptacle secured to the desk top between the Workarea thereof and the rear edge of the desk, a movable front Wall carriedby the receptacle and movable outwardly at the top for the purpose'ofiling papers in edgewise upright position in the receptacle, a filingcompartment Within the desk and beneath the top thereof, said desk topbeing' provided with a slot communicating with the inner filingcompartment and cooperatively positioned with respect to the filingreceptacle mounted on the desk top so that both the slot and the filingreceptacle are Within reach of an operator seated at the front of thedesk, said filing receptacle being mounted to fold down onto the desktop to cover said tiling slot, the movable front Wall of the receptaclebeing' mounted to recede within the receptacle to prevent displacementof the contents thereof when the receptacle is folded down onto the desktop.

9. An office desk having a top'aff-ording a relatively largeunobstructed Work'area, an upstanding filing receptacle adjustablyconnected to the desk top between said Work area and the rear edge ofthe desk, said receptacle including a movable Wall section arranged whenin one position to expose the upper edges of the papers tiled therein tobe individually accessible from the top, said receptacle being foldabledown forwardly onto the desk when closed and being dimensioned withrespect to the desk top to leave a substantial part of said Work areaunobstructed when so folded, the movable Wall section of the rereptaclebeing arranged for movement within the receptacle when the same isfolded down upon the desk whereby to retain the contents of thereceptacle against displacement.

CLEM E. WHEELER.

